Anti-Japanese War: I have unlimited assistance

Chapter 173 is crumbling!

Dark as ink.

More than 4,000 officers and soldiers of the New 1st Regiment and the Independent Regiment were well fed and watered.

At eight o'clock in the evening, about 800 meters away from the east wall of Yangquan, on the Eighth Route Army position, 14 Forbos mountain cannons were neatly arranged, with the barrels pointing towards the position of the Yangquan city wall not far away.

The 14 running groups behind the gun position were ready to fire.

The last time the Japanese attacked Yangquan, they sent out field artillery to bombard the city wall of Yangquan, creating a large gap in the wall.

About 150 meters behind the artillery position, there are 26 60mm mortars and 82mm mortars.

Behind each gun position, there are ammunition boxes piled up like a mountain.

Since all this was done at night, the Japanese had no idea that the Eighth Route Army had already built artillery positions.

A company of infantry carrying siege ladders has entered the attack position. After the artillery has collapsed the city wall, the infantry will immediately attack.

Several engineers were pulling the telephone lines, and the regimental commander would give the order to fire over the phone.

Everything was ready. Wang Chengzhu was waiting for orders from the regiment headquarters while feeling emotional.

"It would be nice if the artillery battalion was equipped with a few radios."

"This way, we can try precision artillery fire."

"And there's no need to run a phone line. I can communicate directly with the regiment headquarters."

Wang Chengzhu and the artillerymen have almost learned the precision artillery bombardment and precision artillery maps provided by Boss Lin, but have not yet used them in actual combat.

When using this precision artillery bombardment method, you only need to align the target with the precision map and mark the target on the map to achieve beyond-visual-range precision artillery bombardment.

When using precision artillery, the range is several kilometers away, and there are trees or mountains in between to block the view. Artillery observers are needed to direct the shooting and adjust the impact point. It is obviously impossible to lay long telephone lines for such artillery.

However, tonight's artillery mission is different. The main force only needs to aim and fire directly. Moreover, it is a rare opportunity for the artillery of the New 1st Regiment and the Independent Regiment to accumulate actual combat experience.

"Captain Wang, the call is connected."

The engineer laid the telephone line, then called the regimental headquarters and handed the receiver over with both hands.

"Report to the captain, I am Wang Chengzhu."

"The artillery positions are ready and can be fired at any time."

"Yes."

After hanging up the phone, Wang Chengzhu looked back and saw muzzle fireworks bursting out from the mortar position behind him.

One flare after another was fired at the east wall of Yangquan, and the entire area around the east wall was illuminated as if it were daytime.

"Prepare."

Following Wang Chengzhu's order, the artillery squad leaders of the 14 artillery groups quickly put their eyes to the sights.

Taking advantage of the vision provided by the flares, the artillery squad leaders quickly operated the elevation and directional aiming machine wheels, pointing the muzzles at the collapsed and repaired city walls.

The loaders also picked up the high-explosive grenades and armor-piercing shells in their hands.

……

On the east city wall.

The sky was pitch black, and the Japanese occasionally fired a flare to the bottom of the city wall to prevent the Eighth Route Army from launching a sneak attack.

However, the Japanese flares were ineffective, only illuminating an area of ​​several hundred meters and quickly going out.

"Ding Ding Ding-"

The phone rang and a Japanese soldier with the rank of corporal on his shoulder picked up the phone.

A moment later, the corporal ran up to the Japanese captain, Ishihara Seizo, and said, "Captain, the brigade commander wants you to answer the phone."

Seizo Ishihara was in a watchtower observing the movements of the Eighth Route Army opposite.

After hearing the corporal's words, he immediately returned to the city gate tower and picked up the phone: "Your Excellency, Brigade Commander, this is Ishihara Seizo."

The deep voice of Major General Takagi came from the microphone: "Ishihara-kun, are there any unusual movements by the Eighth Route Army?"

Ishihara Seizo replied: "Report to the brigade commander, there is currently no movement from the Eighth Route Army."

Takagi Yoshito warned: "Don't let your guard down. Continue to closely monitor the movements of the Eighth Route Army and be prepared for battle."

Ishihara Seizo lowered his head and said "hi", then hung up the phone.

Inside Yangquan City, the 39th Brigade Headquarters.

Yoshito Takagi put down the phone in the Major General's hand and immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

The Eighth Route Army hasn't attacked the city yet, so I'm afraid they don't dare to do so.

That is, the main force of the 39th Infantry Brigade, the 78th Infantry Regiment and the 79th Infantry Regiment were not around, otherwise, with only 39 to troops, they would never dare to attack the city. Even if the Chinese army had the strength of an army, they would have to go around when they saw the th Brigade.

"General."

At this moment, the communications staff hurried in with a telegram in his hand:

"I just received a telegram from Colonel Kobayashi, commander of the 79th Regiment."

Yoshito Takagi took the telegram and looked at it. His face suddenly turned ugly. He first said "Nani" and then cursed "Baka".

Kobayashi Tsuneichi called and said that more than 79 main forces of the 2300th Regiment were surrounded in the Zhuozhang River Valley.

Under the general attack of the Eighth Route Army, all of them have pledged their loyalty to His Majesty Tianhuang.

Including the troops lost in the attack on Daijiazhai Heights, the 79th Infantry Regiment has suffered most of its casualties. The 79th Infantry Regiment is a fully-staffed elite infantry regiment with more than 3600 people when it set out.

But now, there are only five or six hundred people left at most.

"idiot!"

Yoshito Takagi's face turned pale as he tore the telegram into pieces.

He was already old and it was difficult for him to be promoted, and after this battle it was even more impossible for him to be promoted to lieutenant general.

Kobayashi Tsuneichi, this useless guy, swore before setting off that he would commit suicide by disembowelment if he failed to destroy the New 1st Regiment and Li Yunlong. However, not only did he fail to destroy the New 1st Regiment and Li Yunlong, he also suffered a defeat.

It is a great shame for the locust army.

After this battle, Kobayashi Tsuneichi, that worthless fellow, should just commit seppuku to apologize. ...

at the same time.

On the east city wall.

Looking at the darkness outside the city wall that seemed to devour everything, Ishihara Seizo couldn't help but snort coldly.

He deployed more than 30 machine guns, more than a dozen grenade launchers, 6 mortars and 2 infantry guns on the east city wall. There were more than 300 Japanese and puppet troops, and there was enough ammunition to hold out for ten days or half a month.

He now somewhat hoped that the Eighth Route Army would attack the city at night, just in time to avenge the defeat they suffered during the day.

but.

The firepower of the Eighth Route Army's light weapons was quite good, but they lacked heavy weapons for sieges. They didn't even have mountain cannons and artillery shells. How could they possibly attack a strong military town like Yangquan?
"Tubalu, just a bunch of trash."

Feeling disdainful in his heart, Ishihara Seizo snorted coldly.

However, as soon as he finished speaking, the disdain on his face froze, replaced by a look of dullness and confusion.

Flares were fired at the city wall, illuminating the entire wall like daylight.

The devils and puppet soldiers looked at each other in bewilderment. Launch flares?

what's the situation?
Ishihara Seizo was also confused.

"Let's see how it goes." Ishihara Seizo gave the order with a gloomy face. He knew that the Eighth Route Army must have a reason for doing so and would not waste flares for no reason.

"Shhhhhh!"

One flare after another rose into the air from the city wall and headed towards the Eighth Route Army's positions.

In a watchtower on the city wall, a puppet soldier who was observing through a telescope suddenly panicked: "Mountain, mountain, mountain..."

"Three what three? I'll beat you to death!"

The puppet army company commander slapped the observer on the back of the head.

The observer complained: "Company commander, the Eighth Route Army has mountain artillery."

"What did you say?"

The puppet army commander's face changed drastically. He snatched the telescope and looked outside through the firing hole: "Oh my god, it really is a mountain artillery. We are screwed now."

The Eighth Route Army had mountain artillery, which meant that the other side had heavy siege weapons and had a chance to blow up the city wall.

At this time, Ishihara Seizo's face also changed drastically. With a sullen look on his face, he ordered: "Fire immediately and destroy the artillery positions of the Eighth Route Army."

The Japanese artillery was in a panic, preparing to fire.

However, before the Japanese artillery could fire, shells rose into the air from the Eighth Route Army artillery positions and continuously fell on the city walls.

"Boom boom boom..."

The city wall was suddenly shrouded in smoke and flames.

"Boom boom…"

Ishihara Seizo quickly hid behind a battlement and observed the situation of the Eighth Route Army's artillery position.

At the location of the Eighth Route Army's artillery position, clusters of muzzle fireworks burst out, and these muzzle fireworks were much larger than those of mortars.

"The Eighth Route Army's mountain artillery has opened fire!" The last glimmer of hope in Ishihara Seizo's heart was extinguished.

The next second, ten fireballs exploded from the outer wall of the city, eight of which hit the newly repaired wall.

Accompanied by the explosion sound like thunder exploding in the ears, the entire city wall shook, as if the end of the world had come.

"The Eighth Route Army's 75mm mountain gun is even more powerful than the Empire's Type 75 mm mountain gun."

Seizo Ishihara rushed to the phone booth, ready to report the situation to Yoshito Takagi.

At this time, Yoshito Takagi heard the sound of artillery and called.

Upon hearing that the Eighth Route Army was using more than ten mountain cannons to bombard the collapsed city wall, Takagi Yoshito's expression changed drastically and he immediately asked Yamashita Tomoyuki for help.

……

In the first round of artillery fire, four shells grazed the city wall and flew into the distance, two shells missed the target, and eight shells hit the target.

Although it was aimed directly, it was night after all. Even with flares, the vision was not as good as during the day.

However, only 14 shells out of 8 guns hit the target, which made Wang Chengzhu embarrassed. He had promised the regiment commander that every shot would hit the target.

It was a single shot, with a scope, and at a close distance, but it still missed the target. Wang Chengzhu was almost pissed off to death.

"If you can't even aim and shoot straight, what's the point?"

"Is it worthy of such a good mountain cannon and shells?"

"If anyone fails to hit the target again, just go home and take care of the kids!"

Amidst Wang Chengzhu's rough cursing, the artillery squad leader who had missed the target quickly adjusted the shooting parameters.

"To the right, two mils."

"Down, three mils."

"..."

As the artillery squad leader turned the elevation and direction wheels again, the gun barrel was slightly adjusted downward or to the left, and another round of shells flew straight towards the city wall not far away. This time, all 14 shells hit the target.

Under the powerful artillery attack, the city wall was about to collapse and was about to collapse.

"Full-fire."

Wang Chengzhu shouted loudly.

"Boom boom boom..."

As Wang Chengzhu's order was given, each artillery group began firing at full speed, and the strong wind and muzzle fireworks almost merged into one.

Suddenly, orange-yellow trajectories appeared in the night sky lit up by flares. When these trajectories reached the city wall, they suddenly burst into fireballs.

The shells kept bombarding the city walls, like a landslide.

(End of this chapter)